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Below is our recent interview with Shelley Bays, Founding Partner at SAYJ Global Partners:
Shelley, can you give us a brief Introduction to SAYJ Global Partners:
We’re a young San Francisco based international advisory firm that combines industry expertise and analysis to guide early stage companies in their growth strategies. While based in San Francisco, we have a global footprint. Our successful track record to date, includes working with companies in medtech, life sciences, e-commerce, real estate, edtech, cleantech, AI and more…. and in multiple countries. We’re small (only three partners), and that means our clients receive very personal hands-on service and attention, with all of us weighing in on every project.
Background:
The three founding SAYJ partners have known each other for many years, working separately in our own varied careers, but crossing paths periodically on various international projects. All three of us have lived and worked in multiple countries and managed projects globally.
As we compared experiences over time working with companies looking to expand cross border, we saw the same barriers emerge time and time again…. the exhausting time and resource commitment necessary to raise funds and implement the right growth strategy, regional and cultural differences that make entering new markets difficult, lack of key contacts and on-the-ground know-how internationally, and even language constraints.
One day we decided it made sense to come together and form a firm which could deal directly with these issues, and help companies mature and expand.
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Q: Why SAYJ? Why are we the best choice?
A: There are many advisory services available today competing to work with young growth companies, and the choice can be daunting. Many of these groups are large and established, which is good… but they can also be expensive and bureaucratic, which is tough on start-ups. Early stage companies can also sometimes be lost in the shuffle among larger customers and not always receive the attention they need.
Given our small size, we bring a high degree of personalized service to the table, while our overall group expertise in international markets means we have the breadth to effectively address a wide variety of situations. We’re selective about the clients we take on, ensuring that we can provide the service they need and that our working styles are compatible. Since each client is different, we never revert to formulaic, off the shelf solutions.
The three partners have worked in Fortune 500 companies, government roles and start-ups; in multiple countries around the world; in disciplines such as finance, operations, manufacturing, and executive management; as solo contributors and as managers of large organizations. This hands-on business experience is critical to the quality of service we offer our clients.
We strive to price our services fairly, making a relationship with SAYJ affordable for growing companies, since we want to stay with them for the journey! Finally, our compact size enables us to react quickly and nimbly to business requirements, saving both time and money for our clients.
Q: Types of services SAYJ Global Partners provides
A: SAYJ Global Partners provides a spectrum of services to companies tailored to suit their needs at any stage of development.
Our initial contact with a prospective client includes an assessment of the business model and determination of their needs. We developed a proprietary evaluation tool specifically for this purpose and supplement that with additional information acquired during an in-depth interview.
Depending upon the specifics of the situation, we customize our approach to the needs of the client. Our services fall into two main categories:
Coaching and Investor Readiness
Often a company needs assistance preparing materials and themselves to meet investors. We can help ensure this readiness, and then introduce the company to investors we know would be particularly interested in the opportunity… avoiding the time often wasted going to generic groups of investors who may or may not have an interest. Selling the story and the vision is key for young companies, since there’s no second chance to make a first impression with investors!
Advisory Services
We also provide a series of more advanced advisory services to companies, including:
• detailed market research to identify new channels/ markets…. where should a company look to expand and how
• business strategy and tactical plan development…. how to make a vision into reality
• technology and business assessment, or ‘stress-testing’ the model… finding gaps that should be addressed in order to expand
• identification of commercialization opportunities… opening doors internationally
• introductions to potential strategic partners globally… building a proprietary network for growth
• sourcing investors globally…. finding the right money and backing for success
While other larger firms claim to offer many of the services we do, every project we handle is special and merits a bespoke approach. We like the ‘personal shopper’ analogy….
What’s the best thing about your company that people might not know about?
SAYJ Global Investors
An exciting complement to our advisory services is our global investor network. This virtual organization connects people, ideas, information and business interactions around the world via technology. These investors are professionals who live and work internationally and appreciate the benefits of a global approach to investing.
This is a membership organization, comprised of angel investors, family offices, VC’s and funds. We provide a series of exclusive benefits:
• a select array of global investment opportunities… can be viewed on demand by members only
• opportunities to syndicate a deal internationally with other members… creating optimal deal terms
• SAYJ Soundbytes© by international subject matter experts on topical themes… podcasts can be accessed anytime, anywhere
• SAYJ International Investment Webinars (SIIW©)…. listen to company presentations and interact with other investors on-line
• network of experts to answer specific questions on international investment… legal, taxes, investment terms, and more
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Q: Plans for the future
Grow… expand… thrive! Just like any other growth company!
As we continue to develop, we are:
• forming selective alliances with other organizations around the world with whom we can collaborate to broaden our overall offering. This process will open even more doors to our clients and investors over time.
• growing our SAYJ Global Investor community by welcoming small funds, VC’s and family offices, in addition to individual investors
• expanding our network of subject-matter experts upon whom we can call for project, regional, cultural and other specifics
In the end, we will measure our overall success through the future success of our clients!
